Tuesday, June 30, 2009

career vs. job

Doing some thinking about career vs. job. I think there's a big difference, and I'm trying to articulate it in one of my chapters. Any thoughts?

I think a career is something that you love to do, that your very being and identity is tied up with it. I love what I do, so I see myself as having a career as a teacher and writer. I also think a career draws upon people's talents and skills. A career is more of a luxury than a job. I feel privileged to be able to have a career rather than a job.

A job, I think, is something that pays the bills and helps you live for the time you're not at work. You live for the weekend, your days off, evenings (or days, if you have a night job), when you work a job. Not that I wish to work all the time, and I certainly enjoy my time off, but at least when I am working I don't detest it and actually enjoy it for the most part. If bills have to be paid, then I'm glad to be doing what I do.

I don't think education/intellect has anything to do with it. I know some very well-educated people who have "jobs."

Saturday, June 27, 2009

End of Week 1 report

I guess it's only been half a week, but I'm happy to report that I've been able to work on revision for a couple of hours each day. It looks like I'm settling into a routine:

"Work" work before breakfast
Breakfast, take dog for walk, go for short run
Clean up. By this time it's about 10 a.m. Work on revision until noon.
Lunch time, read for a bit, likely a nap!
"Work" work in afternoon
Late afternoon/evening bike ride

This is my ideal day. I don't know how many days each week I'll be able to do it, because stuff always comes up, it seems. At least once a week I plan to use one long day for just writing, no work (or at least minimal work).

I've pretty much revised the prologue and Chapters 1-3 this week. My goal is to have a new draft by the end of August.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Revision, revision

Six weeks after school ended, free time finally arrives. I spent up to this point clearing other projects off my desk.

Today I'm diving into memoir revision (yet again!). I have a new prologue and I revised/added to Chapter 1. Forward, march!

My major stumbling block when it comes to revision is lack of confidence. In my head, everything is perfect. I know what I need to do, and in my head it sounds great. But I freeze when I sit in front of the computer. Will I be able to translate what's in my head to the page? Will I be able to adequately address the questions and comments that so many people have given me? That transfer from the head to the page is my biggest problem. The only way I can confront it is to simply keep moving forward. I spent some time today stressing over it, but once I forced myself to sit down and work, some things fell into place. And they always do. So why do I forget that every time I sit down to write? Why can't I ever remember the times when it worked?